Flue caps for chimneys and the like



Aug. 20, 1963 III/1VII/lLZZ'III/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII w. R. DUCHENE ETAL 3,101,039

FLUE CAPS FOR CHIMNEYS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 19, 1960 L 241, a 42 220 FIG. 2

lNVENTOR W R. DUCHE/VE BY AND HAL SHOOK ORNEY United States Patent FLUE Chi d QHh'l ZNEYS AND THE L William R. Duchene, Hixou, Tenn, and Hal Q.

Kenslngton, Gm, assignors to ilesearch, incorp Chattanooga, Team, a corporation of Tennessee Filed Dec. 19, 196i den No 76,539 Claims. (til. S d -59) This invention relates to improvements in due caps for chimneys and the like, and more particularly to an improved combination flue capand adjustaole dmnper for chimneys, stacks, roof-type ventilators, etc. which serves, on the one hand, to prevent the ingr s of rainand snow to the hue and, on the other, to permit the controlled flow by convection of the smoke, gaseous products of combustion, and/ or hot air upwardly through and from the flue.

While adjustable damper-type flue caps designed for service as above are known in the art, such have not been entirely satisfactory for various reasons such as cumbersome, expensive construction, uncertain operation, and dilficulties in installation and maintenance. Accordingly, a major object of the present invention is the provision of a combination flue cap and adjustable damper for chimneys and thelilce which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages ofthe prior damper-type flue caps and provides instead an improved combination flue cap and adjustable damper which is characterized by simple, relatively inexpensive construction capable of easy installation and operation, and which is furthermore thoroughly dependable and certain in its operation.

A more particular object of the invention is the provision of an improved combination flue cap and adjustable damper for chimneys, exhaust stacks, roof ventilators, etc. whose basic design is such as to enable the device as a whole to be fitted simply to thewhole range of standard flue sizes.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of an improved combination fine cap and adjustable damper for chimneys, etc. as last aforesaid, wherein the cap (damper) proper has a wide range of adjustment from its closed position and is capable of both coarse and fine adjustment within said range.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a combination flue cap and adjustable damper for chimneys, stacks, etc. which incorporates simplified yet highly effective means for actuating the flue cap to one of an infinite number of open positions, thereby enabling same to function as a highly effective adjustable flue damper as well as a conventional cap.

Still another object of the invention is'thc provision of a combination flue cap and adjustable damler as aforesaid incorporating simple and effective yet readily releasable means for holding the flue cap any selected open position to which it has been actuated by the afore' mentioned actuating means.

A further practical object of the invention is the pro vision of a combination flue cap and adjustable damper assembly characterized as in the foregoing, which is adapted to be installed complete within the upper ends of chimney fines, exhaust and ventilating stacks, etc. of standard construction, thus greatly simplifying installation since no modification of existing chimney construction is required, and further adding to the life of the device as a whole by utiizing the chimney as a protective enclosure for the cap or damper adjusting means. i

The above and other objects and features of advantage of a combination fine cap and adjustable damper for chimneys and the like according to the present invention will appear from the following detailed description, in

which reference is had to the accompanying drawings 3", 1 g 1 g fi 'g Patented Aug". 2%, l 9633 "ice dampering effect;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of PEG. 1, which illustrates the flue cap mounting means in plan;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 33 of IG, 1;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged section taken along line 4 lof FIG. 2, which illustrates the cap (damper) actuating and holding means in detail; and

FIG 5 is a perspective view looking on to the top end of a standard house or dwelling chimney having a combination flue cap and adjustable damper according to the invention assembled in operating position thereto, it being noted that the time cap is in open position as in FIG. 1 and also that the view shows the flue cap-damper and its mounting means turned approximately from its 1 position. Referring to the drawings in detail, a combination fine cap and adjustable damper assembly as herein proposed is shown to be affixed in capping and dampering relation to the flue lining 12 of a standard dwelling-type chimney generally designated 14, which latter may serve a fireplace within the dwelling, to the opening of which it is contemplated that the line cap-damper operating chain or equivalent will extend for ready access at fireplace level. According to the invention, such a ilue cap-damper assembly basically comprises a flue cap also serving as a damper which is adjustable as to elevation, means for mounting same in operative flue-capping and dampering relation, means for actuating the flue cap to a seiected elevated position wherein it is adapted to serve as a flue damper which opens the chimney flue to atmosphere, and means for releasably securing the flue cap-damper in the selected elevated position to which it has been actuated.

More particularly, and as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the heroin proposed flue cap-damper assembly cormprises a fine cap to illustratively of substantially square configuration and dimensioned so that its edges overlap the upper end edge of the line lining 12' with which standard house chimneys 1d are conventionally provided, whereby said flue cap is adapted to close the due when resting on the lining, it being of course understood that the configuration and size of the flue cap will correspond to the configuration and size of the chimney to be served lhereby. Said cap 10 preferably has flat plate-like form and it carries a center post 16 of substantial length which depends therefirom into the chimney flue.

The flue-cap mounting means illustratively comprises a pair of laterally spaced attachingbrackets in the form of l. angles 18, 2b which are disposed in oppositely tacing, inverted rel-ationsl ipso as to be capable of hooking over the top edge of the flue lining 12 at opposite sides thereof, and spreading means shown to consist of a i spaced pair of telescopically related and thereby extensible sleeve and threaded rod members 22a, 22b and 24a, 24b extending between said brackets, whose length may be adjustably fixed by nuts 25a, 26b threadedly mounted on the rod members 24a, 24-22 respectively and bearing on the relatively inner ends of said sleeve members 22a, 2211. Thus the extensible sleeve and rod members function as spreading jacks for securely fastening the bracket members 18, 20 in place to the hue lining 12.

The depending center post 16, which illustratively has sideWardly-opening Vssection (FIG. 2), nests into and has sliding bearing and guidance in a similarly V-sectioned vertical guide member 23 extending upwardly between and affixed at its upper end to spaced horizontal cross arms 3%, 32 spanning the aforesaid sleeve members 22a, 22b of the bracket spreading means and which together form a cross head from which the guide merriher depends. To provide for shifting movement of the guide member 2% (and thereby of the center post 16) longitudinally of said spreading means, as may be necessary to center the flue cap 10 with respect to the flue opening, the cross arms 30, 32 are provided with aligned holes 34a, 34b (FIG. 3) of diameter which is slightly oversize with relation to the outside diameter of said sleeve members 22a, 2212. However, to secure the supporting member 28 in finally centered position, the cross arms 31}, 32 are extended and angled as at 39a, 32a and said extended ends are tapped for the reception of locking set screws 36a, 36b which when tightened secure said cross arms and hence the center post in adjusted (centered with respect to the flue opening) position along the length of said sleeve members.

According to a further feature of the invention, the aforesaid means for actuating the flue cap in to selected elevated positions so that it becomes capable of serving as a tide damper and thereupon of releasably securing said flue cap in the selected elevated position to which it has been activated are combined into :a single operating means. ,More pant-icularly, the actuating means proper comprises an endless chain or similar flexible element 40 connected at a point below the upper end of one flight 40a thereof to the lower end of the center post 16 and depending downwardly therefrom to a fireplace or other operating level, and thus so that downward pull on said one flight 40a thereof may be employed to elfect lowering of said center post and the associated flue cap it). Said one flight extends upwardly from the aforesaid point of connection to and over a roller 42 turning on the fixed axis of a cross pin 44 in generally parallel relation with the aforesaidflight 40a and merges into the other flight 4lb of the endless chain. This latter chain arrangement provides that downward pull on the chain flight 4% effects raising of the center post 16 and corresponding elevation of the flue cap 10. As best Sl'l'OlWIl in FIGS. 2 and 4, said cross pin extends transversely between and is aflixed to the side arms or flanges 4 a,

46b of a vertically disposed and sidewardly opening narrow-width channel-shaped shoe member 46 operatively carried by the center-post guide member 28; the roller 42 turning on said pin thus operates inthe space between said arms, as does the upwardly extending portion of the chain flight 40b.

The means for releasably securing the center post 16 and thereby the flue cap in adjusted elevated position utilizes said shoe member 46 and the frictional holding and clamping eifect which it normally exercises on the said center post. More particularly, the shoe member 46 is disposed so that its closed side extends into the V-shaped groove or track provided by the V-section of the center post 16 and, as seen in FIG. 2, said closed side is exteriorly configured as by tapering thereof so that it interfits with and substantially complements the aforesaid groove or track. Also, the shoe memberis effectively pivotally connected to V the aforesaid centerpost guide member 28 by means of a pivot pin 48 which extends transversely through its lower central edge portion and is supponted at its ends in laterally spaced ears 50a, 50b rigidly carried by a cross piece 51 aflixed as by welding to the open side edges of the guide member 28 adjacent its lower end. The upper end of the shoe member 46 may tbus'swing inwardly toward and outwardly away from the inner face or faces of the center post 16 about the axis of said pivot pin 48, but it is normally biased into firm frictional engagement with said face or faces by means-of a tension spring 52 0perative between the aforesaid cross arm- 32 of the fluelcap mounting means and a point on the shoe member adjacent its upper outer corner.

Here it is to be observed that the location of the cross pin 44 is slightly below the point of connection of the spring 52 with the shoe member 46 and also relatively outwardly of the axis of the pivot pin 48 about which downwai-d pull on the chain flight 46b results in the' application of a downward force on the upper-outer corner of said shoe member, which tends to swing its upper inner corner outwardly away from the center post, thereby releasing the latter for vertical movement. In this connection, it is explained that by design, but a moderate downward pull on chain flight 4912 is required to effect release of the frictional holding or braking force which the shoe member exercises on the center post 16, whereupon the'flue cap it} when raised will tend to lower gently of its own weight to its lowered or closed position, with such lowering movement being made more positive by downward pull applied to the chain flight 40a while the shoe member is held in its releaseposition as aforesaid. On the other hand, when it is desired to raise the flue cap to a selected elevated or dampering position, a more positive downward pull on chain flight 4% is required, such initially releasing or unbraking the shoe member 46 from the center post 16 and thereupon positively raising the flue cap to the desired position by upward pull applied to the lower end of said center post.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the lower inner end corner 5 of the shoe member 46 is relieved so as to be spaced a small distance from the adjacent outer face or faces of the center post 16, even when the upper-inner corner of said shoe member is exercising its braking or holding function with respect to said center post. Such assures that said upper-inner (friction-applying) corner may move outwardly away from the center post the distance requisite to release of the center post without this movement being impeded by said lower inner corner of the shoe member. While majoremphasisihas been placed on the frictional holding or braking effect which the shoe member 46 applies to the center post, it is contemplated that said shoe member also supplies some clamping effect as Well; that is to say, it clamps the center post against or to the guide member '28.

or toothed so as to function much as a ratchet engageable by said upper-inner corner operating like a pawl. However, for the usual installation, the spring 52 provides the requisite frictional holding and braking action of shoe member with respect to center post.

Without further analysis, it will be appreciated that a combination flue cap and adjustable damper for chimneys, exhaust stacks and the like as herein described and illustrated satisfies the objectives of the invention as explained 1n the foregoing in simple yet effective and thoroughly dependable manner. While disclosed in its application to a fireplace chimney flue, :a device constructed according to the invention of course has Wider application, for example, in the field of roof-type ventilators and exhaust flues generally. 7

As will be clear from the foregoing description, a flue cap-damper assembly as herein contemplated may be fashioned from inexpensive, readily available materials and installed with the minimum of time and labor in any one of a whole range of standard chimney and exhaust flue sizes, and when so installed may be simply and effectively operated from within the flue at a convenient access level such as that of a fireplace served by the flue. It is a further feature of the invention that when installed, the entire mounting and operating mechanism is fully lioused the flue and furthermore that in its closed position the flue cap is flush against the top edge line of the chimney, thus minimizing the possibility of being damaged by winds or flying objects, animate or inanimate.

It is also to be observed that the incorporation of the means for actuating the flue damper to raised position and the means for holding same raised in the position to which it was actuated into a single operating means represents advanced design yielding substantial economies in manufacture.

Finally, the herein flue cap-damper assembly is believed to be notable not only in the large range of opening movement which it provides the flue cap but also in its ability of the operating means to effect either a coarse or fine adjustment of flue cap 13S desired.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A flue cap and adjustable damper for chimneys and the like comprising, in combination, a cap member of size and configuration corresponding substantially to that of a flue opening and being adapted normally to seat against the top edge of the flue and provide a closure cap therefor, means mounting said cap member for limited elevating movement from a flue-capping position to various flue-dampering positions comprising a center post depending from the central portion of the cap rnernber, spaced attaching brackets adapted to be engaged with the top edge of the flue lining at "opposite sides thereof, parallelly disposed telescoping members interconnecting said brackets and adapted when extended to secure said brackets to said lining edge, means securing said telescoping members in such extended position, cross head means extending transversely between said telescoping members and being supported thereby, a vertically disposed centerpost guide means affixed to and depending downwardly from said cross head means in which said center post has sliding bearing, means carried by said guide means for releasably securing the center post to the guide means in any desired position of elevation with respect thereto, and means for centering said guide means and center post and thereby the flue cap with respect to said flue including oversize holes in the cross head means through which said telescoping members extend whereby said cross head means is movable longitudinally along said telescoping members and is also shiftable a limited amount transversely thereof, and means carried by said cross head means for securing said means to said telescoping members in a predetermined position such as in turn to center the guide means and center post with respect to the flue.

2. A flue cap and adjustable damper for chimneys and the like comprising, in combination, a cap member of size and configuration corresponding substantially to that of the flue opening and normally providing a closure cap therefor, means disposed within and extending across the flue opening for mounting the cap member for limited movement from and to a flue capping position to and from different dampering positions, said means including a center post depending vertically from the cap member and a vertically disposed guide member adapted to be operatively aflixed centrally within the flue opening for guiding said center post in its elevating and lowering movement, and means for elevating said flue cap to any selected dampening position above the flue top within its range of elevating movement and including friction-braking means for releasably securing the flue cap in said selected position, said friction-braking means including a friction shoe carried by said guide member and normally applying a frictional holding force to the center post, a depending flexible element secured to said center post, and means responsive to downward pull on the flexible element for rendering said friction shoe inactive and simultaneously therewith applying upward pull on the center ost.

p 3. A flue cap and adjustable damper as defined in claim 2, wherein said friction shoe is pivotally mounted on said guide member for swinging movement against and away from said center post and includes a portion adapted to frictionally engage said center post when said shoe member is swung against the center post, spring means normally biasing said shoe member against the center post, said flexible element being connected to a low point on the center post and thence extending upwardly over and downwardly from a roller which is so mounted on the friction shoe that downward pull thereon effects swinging movement of said shoe member away from the center post.

4. In a flue cap-adjustable damper assembly, the combination of a flue cap adapted normally to seat along its perimeter on the top edge of a chimney or like flue and carrying a dependent center post extending downwardly into the flue, means contained within the flue for positioning said flue cap seated as aforesaid and for mounting said :flue cap for limited elevating movement to flue dampering positions, said last means including a fixed vertical guide member extending downwardly into the flue and in which said center post has sliding bearing, friction-braking means carried by said fixed guide member and being normally reactive against said center post for securing said flue cap both in seated and in adjusted positions of elevation to which it is actuated, said friction-braking means comprising a shoe member pivotally mounted on said guide member for swinging movement against and away from said center post and having a portion adapted when engaged therewith to frictionally grip said center post and spring means reactive between said flue cap mounting means and the shoe member for normally maintaining said shoe member in engagement with said center post, and a flexible element operatively connected to said center post and extending downwardly through the flue to an access opening therein for rendering said friction-braking means inactive and thereupon elevating said center post and thereby the flue cap to a desired position of elevation, said flexible element being connected to the shoe member in such manner as to effect swinging movement of said member away from the center post responsive to downward pull thereon, thereby to release said post for movement in upward or downward direction.

5. The combination defined in claim 4, wherein said shoe member has generally rectangular configuration and is pivot-ally connected to the guide member by a pivot pin extending transversely through said shoe member near its central lower edge portion whereby it is adapted to swing in a vertical plane toward and away from said center post, and said spring means comprises a tension spring extending between a point on said securing and mounting means located above the shoe and the upper, outer corner thereof and being thereby operative normally to bias said shoe to a position in which its upper inner-edge portion frictionally engages said center post, and said flexible element comprises an endless chain depending into the flue, one flight of said chain being connected at a point below its upper end to the lower end of the center post and extending upwardly therefrom and thence over a roller carried by said shoe and turning on a fixed axis extending transversely through the shoe at a point thereof disposed above and outwardly of said pivot pin, said one flight thereafter merging into the other, downwardly extending flight of the chain, the construction and arrangement being such that downward pull on said other chain flight effects swinging movement of the shoe away from said center post against the bias of said tension spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 841,660 Barnes Ian. 22, 1907 944,831 Terramorse Dec. 28, 1909 978,175 Linderneyer Dec. 13, 1910 1,469,011 Heath Sept. 25, 1923 2,581,992 Wilder Jan. 8, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 524,149 France May 9, 1921 500,112 Germany Mar. 2, 1929 

1. A FLUE CAP AND ADJUSTABLE DAMPER FOR CHIMNEYS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CAP MEMBER OF SIZE AND CONFIGURATION CORRESPONDING SUBSTANTIALLY TO THAT OF A FLUE OPENING AND BEING ADAPTED NORMALLY TO SEAT AGAINST THE TOP EDGE OF THE FLUE AND PROVIDE A CLOSURE CAP THEREFOR, MEANS MOUNTING SAID CAP MEMBER FOR LIMITED ELEVATING MOVEMENT FROM A FLUE-CAPPING POSITION TO VARIOUS FLUE-DAMPERING POSITIONS COMPRISING A CENTER POST DEPENDING FROM THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE CAP MEMBER, SPACED ATTACHING BRACKETS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED WITH THE TOP EDGE OF THE FLUE LINING AT OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, PARALLELLY DISPOSED TELESCOPING MEMBERS INTERCONNECTING SAID BRACKETS AND ADAPTED WHEN EXTENDED TO SECURE SAID BRACKETS TO SAID LINING EDGE, MEANS SECURING SAID TELESCOPING MEMBERS IN SUCH EXTENDED POSITION, CROSS HEAD MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN SAID TELESCOPING MEMBERS AND BEING SUPPORTED THEREBY, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED CENTERPOST GUIDE MEANS AFFIXED TO AND DEPENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID CROSS HEAD MEANS IN WHICH SID CENTER POST HAS SLIDING BEARING, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID GUIDE MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE CENTER POST TO THE GUIDE MEANS IN ANY DESIRED POSITION OF ELEVATION WITH RESPECT THERETO, AND MEANS FOR CENTERING SAID GUIDE MEANS AND CENTER POST AND THEREBY THE FLUE CAP WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLUE INCLUDING OVERSIZE HOLES IN THE CROSS HEAD MEANS THROUGH WHICH SAID TELESCOPING MEMBERS EXTEND WHEREBY SAID CROSS HEAD MEANS IS MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID TELESCOPING MEMBERS AND IS ALSO SHIFTABLE A LIMITED AMOUNT TRANSVERSELY THEREOF, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CROSS HEAD MEANS FOR SECURING SAID MEANS TO SAID TELESCOPING MEMBERS IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION SUCH AS IN TURN TO CENTER THE GUIDE MEANS AND CENTER POST WITH RESPECT TO THE FLUE. 